Friday, May 18, 2012

Hawaiian Airlines First Class on Boeing 767-300

Hawaiian Airlines has updated their fleet of wide-body long-haul jets with Airbus A330-200 jets and has place them in service on a few routes including select flights between Honolulu and Las Vegas. These jets are replacing the airlines aging fleet of Boeing 767s. This evening flight HA 5 to Honolulu has been assigned the airlines 767 jet. It'll be interesting to compare it to the A330 which was used on my flight three nights ago to Vegas.

There are 18 seats in first class and the remainder of the cabin devoted to coach class. The modern elements of the A330 are obviously missing like the spacious overhead bins and lighting. In lieu of the on-demand systems stored in the armrest for first class passengers, entertainment is via portable Digeplayers that are pre-loaded with movies, television programs, music videos and music and distributed by flight attendants. Coach passengers can rent the players for $15.

FLEET COMPARISON:

A330 Planes

767 Wide-Body Planes

Hawaiian's new wide-body A330s carry more passengers, fly farther, and are more fuel-efficient than our existing wide-body fleet of B767s.

Hawaiian's first class meal service is comprised of the "Your Way" menu created by Chef Chai Chaowasaree. It's different compared to other airlines and it would be a success if it weren't for the time it takes for each passenger to be served made obvious by the duration between the first passenger served and the last. The fault has to be in the six selections of which passengers choose three. It appears its a time challenge for the flight attendants to prepare the trays for each passenger.

I pick the Macadamia Nut Pistachio Pate, Asian Mixed Greens and Braised Spicy Chicken. Flavor profile wise this is the best prepared combination of plates between the four Hawaiian Airlines flights I've taken in the past two months. Though each are mini-entrees, it was a nice progression from the appetizer-like lightness of the pate to refreshing tones of the salad to the heartiness of the chicken. I just wished the chicken had a bit more sauce. As common with these tiny plates, neatness is complicated when cutting the chicken on the bed or rice.

Thank goodness no rock-hard frozen dessert. If old-fashioned but still satisfying, the Tiramisu closes out the meal. But where's the coffee. For first class service, there shouldn't be a wait or the need to order a cup of coffee. I finally get some java and watch a movie on my iPad before resting my head for the remainder of the flight.

Hawaiian Airlines is well-known for their in-flight hospitality of the flight crew and that politeness was evident even if the crew on this flight seemed a bit more harried than on previous flights I've taken.

I've learned that American Airlines have again allowed the earning of miles in their reward program on Hawaiian Flights. Back in the mid 1990s American had nixed any mile earnings on Hawaiian other than on inter-island flights. The rule is still in place that you can't earn Aadvantage miles on Hawaiian's West Coast flights. However Aadvantage members can now earn flight on Hawaiian to destinations elsewhere including to the East Coast. This summer Hawaiian is flying non-stop to New York's JFK.

Hawaiian's "Your Way" menu. First class passengers choose three
of the six selections.

One of Hawaiian's 767 jets sits at the gate at McCarran. Strip hotels
can be seen in the distance.(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

2
comments:

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ABOUT ME

I first began traveling seriously in 1993 from Honolulu to London. After that first bite from the travel bug I have not stopped traveling since. My main interests are in the big cities and their live theatre so with this blog I wish to share what I have learned over the years with anyone wishing to take that first big trip or to make their next one that much more pleasant. Email address: TheHopefulTraveler@gmail.com